Update 4/9/19: This deal is also being sent out via e-mail. Subject line is ‘<name>, what would you do with 50,000 Membership Rewards® Points?’
The Offer
Direct Link to offer (this might work – requires login)
Some people are seeing in their American Express login within the Amex Offers section an offer to ‘Go Gold’ and signup for the American Express Gold card. The offer shows them as ‘pre-approved’ and the terms show no lifetime language.
- Get a 50,000 points signup bonus when spending $2,000 within 3 months.
Card Details
- Annual fee of $250 NOT waived first year
- Card will earn at the following rates:
- 4x points at U.S. Restaurants
- 4x points at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in spend per calendar year)
- 3x points for flights booked directly with airlines
- 1x points on all other purchases
- $120 dining credit. This is a $10 monthly credit that can be used at Grubhub, Seamless, The Cheesecake Factory, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Shake Shack
- $100 airline fee credit
- No foreign transaction fees
Full American Express Gold card review can be found here.
Our Verdict
Reader OC saw this ‘Go Gold’ offer on their Amex Blue Cash card, and I checked and see the same thing on my personal Amex Blue Cash cards. Not sure if it’s specific to Blue Cash or it’s showing on all personal Amex cards. YMMV, it may only be showing for some people. You can also try using this link after logging in, let us know if it works.
The Gold card is still available with the 50,000 points signup bonus on $2,000 spend (that seems to be the regular offer now), but of course it has the lifetime language. If you find this Go Gold offer in your login, it would appear to be exempt from the lifetime language. In the past, there was a similar offer available, with the addition of 20%/$100 back at restaurants; that additional restaurant bonus is no longer around.
Typically, you’d do better applying via referral link, even self-referral, but if you’ve already had the Premier Rewards Gold card and thus aren’t eligible for the signup bonus on the Gold card, this is a good option. Readers confirm that in the past whenever you get targeted with a no lifetime offer, it actually works in practice. Just be sure to double-check for yourself that there is no lifetime language showing. And check out these Things to Know about American Express before applying.
I got the same offer in an email on 3/26. Subject was “(name), you could be earning 4X points when you dine out”.
AF not waived. Includes the dining and airline credits.
“Offer no longer available” for me
I just got targeted for the Pre-approved platinum card with 60k offer, the offer only appears under the Everyday Card. There is no “lifetime” stuff in the terms, so this offer would not affect me getting the normal welcome offer of the Platinum card.
That’s not how it works. If you apply for the preapproved offer, you will be denied the bonus on the normal offer later. The strategy is to apply through normal offers first, then through offers with no lifetime language later on to get the signup bonus again.
I’m seeing an offer to upgrade to Platinum under the offers list like Chuck shows and if I go to Menu > Cards > Offers (wording not accurate from memory) – I see the 50k Gold offer, both no lifetime language, now the question is, how and where do I go to apply for those cards WITH lifetime language so that then I can apply through the prequalified without lifetime and capitalize on both? Any steps suggestions highly appreciated.
Also, is Platinum worth the AF in comparison with Gold? I usually compare the AF to the value of the bonus and the Platinum AN eats way too much out of the the dollar value of 60k points. Any input or opinions?
Was not targeted on any of my cards, but that link in the post worked. Thanks Chuck!
I have had the card before (closed it a year or so ago) and currently have 7 other Amex cards.
Nothing on my ED, free Hilton, Bonvoid or Green card.
Seems to work for me, though I haven’t applied yet. The bonus is just a short blurb at the bottom of the application under the Apply button, which I thought was weird. Is that normal?
Weird. I posted images in the post of what I see.
Lock your credit reports before applying. If they want to pull they’ll try and application will go pending. Then you can decide whether you want to proceed (by unlocking) or not. Or if they don’t try to pull, then you’re all set. I’ve gotten 20+ cards approved with Amex while credit reports were locked.
When I go to link and login I get:
“We apologize that the offer you are looking for may no longer be available.”
Same thing if I log in first and then paste in URL.
Currently have a Gold so that might be why.
Bummer.
I added the link to the post in case it works. I don’t know for sure it will. The main way to check is to look if you were targeted to Go Gold, mentioned in the post.
I’m getting the no longer works as well – do not have a Gold now, have had the PRG in the past. 🙁
Yeah, it’s targeted/YMMV. Link still works for me (though I no longer see the offer in my login).
No hard pull with AMEX. I had blue cash and I applied last Oct for Gold, and I just applied for Delta Gold and no pull on both. I watch all my credit report. And AMEX use Experian and no pull on any 3.
pre approved Platinum card doesn’t have the once in a life language as well FYI.
Whats the platinum offer?